I-books at 22 %

[I. J. Parker]

Here is the quote from PW:

 

Speaking at yesterday's Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), ceo Steve Jobs said "five of the six biggest publishers in the US tell us that the share of iBooks is up to about 22 percent -- in about 8 weeks."

 

The tone of the PW article suggests that the rising sales of I-pad and Kindle, et al., will drive e-book sales so significantly that we may well look at a desirable change in book-buying patterns and a larger reading public.  If they are right, authors will thrive again. 

[Jon Loomis]

Maybe so, I.J.--especially if the standard ebook royalty rises from the current 25% (as of this fall) to the 50% the agents are pushing for. I could damn near make a living on 50% of current sales, and of course if I could write full-time I could produce more which would earn more income. Anyway, yay Steve Jobs!

[John McFetridge]

And today I saw this on Mediabistro:

Today Harlequin Enterprises Limited officially launched Carina Press, the publisher's digital-first imprint. The imprint will publish 37 titles in its inaugural month, prices 37 books in its first month, and prices range from $2.99 to $6.99.

The digital press will publish ePub files that are free of digital rights management (DRM) tools--readers can read the books across platforms ranging from desktop computers to iPads to Kindles to smartphone readers. Carina's executive editor Angela James said the new authors will have "truly distinct perspectives."

Harlequin CEO Donna Hayes had this statement: "As a digital-first publisher Carina Press is a natural extension to our business; it builds on our digital strength and leadership position. It gives us greater flexibility in the type of editorial we can accept from authors and offer to readers. As such, we expect to discover new authors and unique voices ... As well, we hope to reach a new group of readers with niche editorial."

The release also had a note about submissions: "Carina Press is currently accepting submissions in all genres of commercial fiction. Carina Press will consider shorter length stories, genre novels from 50,000 to more than 100,000 words and complex narratives of over 100,000 words."

[I. J. Parker]

What the devil is a "niche editorial" and what does she mean when she talks of the editorials she expects from authors?

Am I wrong in thinking that this woman doesn't know the definition of editorial?

[Jon Loomis]

I found that part confusing, too. The digital-first bit is what's disturbing--John or somebody (apologies) posted about this awhile back--that Harlequin was going to start publishing debut authors as ebooks only as a way of minimizing risk. I would hate that as an author--even of romance stuff. I wanted a damn book with my name on it. Still do.

[John McFetridge]

Yes, writers still want a print book. Of course, a lot of readers do, too.

When I started up a dicussion about a Writers Co-Op Publishing company I was thinking about this model - starting with e-books because it would take a lot less capital. Once the company was shown to have great editorial and put together great books, then it could branch out. But writers really want print books.

Still, this model has some real potential. I think someday we may look at books the way we do movies - some we want to see in the theatre on the big screen and some we're fine with seeing on TV at home. For some books we'll want print editions and for osme we'll be fine with the three dollar e-book. Just like now sometimes we wan the hardcover the day it comes out and sometimes we buy a used mass market paperback a few years later.

[Camille LaGuire]

I've heard the term thrown about the same way by other romance people. It could even be some kind of internal "corporate speak" of Harlequin's. (Maybe one of their executives started out interning for a newspaper and never actually understood what it meant, but it sounded cool, and "insider.")

[Daniel Hatadi]

Just like the music industry, publishing has always needed a killer piece of hardware to make digital distribution financially feasible. Or in this case, an oligopoly. Glad it's finally starting to happen.

[Jon Loomis]

Dude, really? Of the three gadgets, I don't know three people who don't have at least one.